A Kiss for Luck
by Zombiegait
Summary: KibaHina, NaruHina. When Hinata decides to confess, Kiba wishes her luck.


**Author Notes:** Despite being a huge NaruHina supporter, I still find the idea of KibaHina incredibly adorable (even though I hope that NaruHina becomes canon, and with the last couple chapters, the chances of it actually happening have gone up tremendously). The possibility for heartbreak with this couple is ridiculously high, and despite my love of fluff, I thought it about time I pump out some angsty Naruto fics. Sort of AU in that the last 20 or so chapters of the manga don't happen. I'm also starting to think I spend far too much time writing fanfiction, lol.

**Pairings or Characters:** Kiba/Hinata, Naruto/Hinata**  
Warnings:** none**  
Word Count:** 1,225**  
Summary:** When Hinata decides to confess, Kiba wishes her luck.

**

* * *

A Kiss for Luck**

When Team 8 first got together for training, Hinata was so nervous she looked like she was about to blow away with the next gentle breeze. Kiba had seen her in the academy since they were little, being in the same class after all, but he'd never thought about her much until learning they would be put on the same genin team. She was quiet, and though she always passed Iruka's tests, she had never struck him as particularly great or even that invested in being a ninja. He imagined if she wasn't a Hyuuga, she never would've chosen this path. She was very unlike her cousin, Neji, which was mostly a good thing, because Kiba had always thought he was an arrogant asshole.

Now they were teammates, and he felt obligated to help her out.

"Um, Hinata-san?" Akamaru yipped softly from atop his head as if greeting his teammate, too.

"Y-Yes, Kiba-kun?" she asked, looking up at him with lavender eyes. She had a tendency to stutter, and he'd noticed it got particularly bad when either a certain blond-haired idiot or her jerk of a cousin was around, or even just mentioned. He was glad she was calm enough around him, though.

"Are you nervous?"

"... Y-Yes." She deflated at the admission, looking away from him and staring down at her sandals as if knowing she had disappointed everyone already. He scratched his head awkwardly, a little mad at himself for upsetting her so quickly. He hesitated for a second before sitting down next to her.

"I am a little, too," he told her honestly. Her pupil-less eyes widened as her head whipped around to face him. She looked shocked, and he wondered if she thought ninja weren't allowed to be nervous.

"... R-Really?"

"Yeah. But hey, you know what helps?" She shook her head slowly, still staring at him in disbelief. "A good luck kiss!" he smiled. But the reaction he got was not what he had hoped for. Her entire face was red, and she was gaping like a fish as she tried to overcome her stutter and speak, but he wasn't sure why she was so weirded out. They weren't that big a deal. He got good luck kisses all the time, even if he pretended he was grossed out when he got them from his mom. Pulling Akamaru off his head, he held him up to her face and watched as the puppy licked her on the cheek.

"See? Akamaru just kissed you good luck." Much to his relief, the red in her face rapidly faded away as Akamaru climbed back on top of his head, and after a moment, she smiled. It was small and obviously not an expression she wore often, but it was genuine. An odd feeling bloomed in his chest at the sight, and he wondered why it suddenly felt like _his_ face was red. It wouldn't take him to long to realize he had fallen in love with her with just that one smile.

"T-Thank you, Kiba-kun, Akamaru. I think... I think I feel a bit better."

"... That's good. Whenever you need it, just ask. Akamaru won't mind."

"Okay," she giggled, and the two sat in companionable silence until Kurenai announced that it was time to begin.

* * *

Soon after that first day, Hinata would receive a kiss from Akamaru before every training session and mission, and sometimes just when she was having a bad day and ran into Kiba and his canine companion. It became routine, and shortly after Team 8 started training together, Hinata grew comfortable and close enough to both Kiba and Shino that she gave them good luck kisses regularly, as well. Kiba's crush had grown steadily worse, just as her feelings for Naruto deepened at a constant pace, and the kisses on his cheek were not helping matters.

Shino often pointed out that Kiba was really just digging his own grave by not confessing. But how could he when she was so obviously in love with someone else? Shino argued it would give him closure, and he would be able to move on.

Kiba wasn't sure he wanted to, no matter how painful having feelings for her was.

After that Uchiha brat had defected and Naruto had left to go train with one of the Sannin, Kiba thought he might have a chance of getting Hinata to think less about the blond and more about him. To his dismay, his being away only seemed to strengthen her resolve to confess to him upon his return. And worst of all, he knew she would ask Akamaru like she always did for a kiss good luck before the time finally came.

* * *

After Kiba turned seventeen, the day he dreaded had finally come. Naruto and Sasuke had been back for years, but Hinata had still been extremely shy around her crush. Despite Kiba's teasing and taunting and reluctant encouragement, she hadn't been able to tell him how she felt.

But now that she was a jounin, suddenly there was a confidence flowing from her that Kiba had only glimpsed occasionally in the past.

"Kiba-kun! Good morning," she smiled up at him. He leapt off of Akamaru and ruffled her hair lightly.

"Hey Hinata-chan. You look excited." She smelled excited, too, but he had learned long ago that mentioning what he could smell to young women offended them more often than not.

"Well, that's... because..." she began slowly, poking her fingers together. She hadn't behaved this shyly in months, and he raised an eyebrow suspiciously. Akamaru panted curiously over his shoulder.

"... I've decided to confess today," she finished bashfully, a familiar red creeping into her cheeks.

Kiba felt his heart stop for a moment before it started beating very fast and very hard. He knew it was going to happen sometime. And even though he'd had five years to prepare, he'd been too busy trying futilely to steal her attention away instead. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

This was it. After this, he would end it.

"Guess you'll need a kiss for luck, then," he smiled softly, opening his eyes again.

"If you wouldn't mind," she giggled. Though her eyes moved to Akamaru, it was Kiba who leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her cheek and another to her forehead. When he took a step back, she was looking at him in shock and confusion.

"Why did you...?"

"You're going to confess. Wouldn't want you covered in dog slobber. Besides, you don't really need luck. He won't turn you down, Hinata-chan."

Kiba smiled at her one last time before turning around and walking away, waving a hand in farewell, Akamaru following at his heels. His smile immediately faded away, and eventually he had to stop walking to keep the tears in his eyes from spilling. His friend licked his face affectionately in an attempt to comfort him, but it didn't help much at all. Taking the dog's face in his hands and leaning his forehead against it, Kiba let out a sad sigh.

"No more, Akamaru. It's done. I'm done."

The next day, when he saw Hinata and Naruto walking down the street holding hands, he was happy when she waved at him. He waved back, a small smile appearing on his face, before continuing on his way.


End file.
